During an interview On Sportsline with George Von Benko, T.J. Watt cut through the noise. “There’s just so much that needs to be corrected… It’s all about building performances,” he said.
“When you create turnovers and takeaways, you’re doing so.” That’s not motivation fluff. That’s accountability, and it’s exactly what this defense needs if they want to rise above mediocrity.
Let’s be clear, the Steelers defense hasn’t been living up to expectations in 2025. Through two weeks, they ranked 29th in total defense, giving up 31 points per game. The pressure isn’t just external. Watt feels it. He admitted that he’s not affecting the game as he wants to, and he’s always trying to change the script.
His words aren’t empty. In Week 3 against the Patriots, Watt helped force five turnovers, recorded two sacks, and recovered a fumble. That’s an example of turning talk into action. That’s turning impact into points.
One name slipped into the interview was Nick Herbig. Watt and the coaching staff are clearly thinking bigger than just edge rush. Herbigs’ emergence gives this defense flexibility and depth. If Watts is open to tweaking his alignment on the left, right, or even inside, it forces offenses to adjust, not just vice versa, and they have demonstrated this ability in the past.
That’s the shift. No more letting offenses methodically chip double or slide away from him.
If Watt is correct, this gets binary fast. Either this defense starts earning its reputation again, or it becomes a sideline afterthought.
When the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense creates a takeaway and forces the opponent into mistakes, that’s when this defense wins games in the NFL. This is how the narrative changes, and that’s how a team built on edge and tradition survives a brutal era in a league built by quarterbacks and passing attacks.
Watt’s challenge isn’t just to talk about that. It’s to show it every series, every play, every third down. If he doesn’t, all the talk will mean nothing.
